Understanding the Self (Prelims Handout)

1st Semester | ASC Academics Committee | A.Y. 2018-2019

THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES By what means?

Philosophy, Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology, and  The Socratic Method: Dialogue
Western & Oriental/Eastern Thought o between the soul and itself
o Between a student and his teacher
Philosophy
 Who am I? Two Aspects of Reality- Dualistic Reality: Body and Soul
 Who am I in relation to the natural world  Physical World
(cosmos)? o Changeable, transient, imperfect
o World of Senses/Matter
Ancient Philosophy (1000 BC to 500 AD)  Spiritual World
o Unchanging, eternal, perfect
Three Periods: o World of Ideas/Form
1. Pre-Socratic (The Milesians)
2. The Ancient Triumvirate (Socrates, Plato, Our Soul (Self)
Aristotle)  Strive for wisdom and perfection
3. Post-Aristotelians  Reason is the soul’s tool to achieve such state
 A unified, indissoluble, immortal entity that
Pre-Soctratics (The Milesians)  remains the same over time
 Cosmo-centric  That is in the very likeness of the divine
 There is a fundamental principle/ thing that
underlies everything else, including the human Plato
self  3-Part Soul/Self (Psyche)
 Reason: the divine essence that lets us think
 Arche – originating principle deeply (wisdom), make wise choices and
 Thales – Water achieve a true understanding of eternal truths.
 Anaximander – Apeiron: “Boundless”  Physical Appetite: accounts for the basic
 Anaximenes – Air biological needs such as hunger, thirst and
 Democritus – Atom sexual desire
 Heraclitus – Fire  Spirit/Passion: accounts for the basic emotions
 Anaxagoras – Nous: Mind such as love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness,
 Pythagoras – Numbers empathy

The Ancient Triumvirate  The three are in a dynamic relationship with

Socrates each other: in agreement or in conflict.
“Know thy self”  But it is the responsibility of the Reason to
 Man must live and stand according to his restore harmony among the three.
nature  Harmony: Justice in the individual, social, and
 Man must look at himself political levels.
“An unexamined life is not worth living.”
 Two fundamental questions: Aristotle
o To find what?  The mind (self) is Tabula Rasa – a blank slate
o By what means?  Self is composed of matter and form
To find what?  Matter is in a continuous process of developing
 Invitation to introspection: Platonic theory of and becoming
reminiscence  The Process of Completion is through
 Knowledge is within, inherent in man; not experiences
outside  Knowledge is acquired through the senses
 Wisdom is learning to reflect
  Self comes from a First Cause, the source of all  Experiencing that something exists doesn’t tell
changes although unchangeable itself us what it is
 The goal of the human self is reached in  Knowing and learning about a thing \requires a
happiness though moderation or balance of long process of understanding; same with the
things mind and the self – with experience and reason

The Post-Aristotelians Modern Philosophy

 Maintains the dualism between body and soul 14th Century to the early 20th Century
 More ethical in the ideas  Genuine knowledge has to be based on
 moral norms- attainment of happiness independent rational inquiry and real world
Stoicism experimentation, rather than dependent on
 Apathy or indifference to pleasure knowledge handed down by authorities.
Hedonism Anthropocentric
 “Eat, drink, and be happy. For tomorrow, you  Thinkers began to reject the scholastics’
will die. (medieval thinkers) excessive reliance on
Epicureanism authority
 Moderate pleasure  Period of radical social, political and intellectual
developments
Medieval Philosophy
Theo-centric René Descartes
 From the scientific investigation on nature and A Rationalist; Mathematician, Philosopher, Scientist
search for happiness to the question of life and “Cogito ergo sum.”
salvation in another realm, in a better world (i.e.  I think, therefore, I am.
the afterlife)  Human identity: self-awareness
 Influence from ancient thought:  The Self if a thinking thing which can exist
 The (human) self-endures through time. independently of the body
 More imposing than informing, because it was Dualism
trying to aim at paganism and barbarism.  Thinking (Spiritual) Self
 There was an aim to merge philosophy and - Governed by laws of reason & God’s will
religion  Physical Body
(Christian, Jewish, Muslim) - Governed by the laws of nature
St. Augustine
Theologian, Philosopher John Locke
 Integrates Platonic ideas with the tenets of An Empiricist; Physician & Philosopher
Christianity  Knowledge originates in our direct sense
 Platonic Realm of Idea/Forms = Christian experience.
Philosophy of a Transcendent God The self-  Reason plays a subsequent role in figuring out
strives to achieve union with God through faith the significance of our sense experience and in
and reason reaching intelligent conclusions.
St. Thomas Aquinas  The self is not necessarily embedded in a single
Theologian, Philosopher substance or soul, but exists in space and time
 Self-knowledge is dependent on our experience o Every aspect of the physical body is
of the world around us (objects in our integrated with personal identity. The
environment) body changes, the physical self-
 We don’t encounter ourselves as isolated minds changes.
or selves, but rather always as agents  But the self endures because of memory.
interacting with our environment  Conscious awareness and memory of previous
 The labels we attribute to ourselves are taken experiences are the keys to understanding the
from the things we encounter in our self.
environment
o Gardener, Artist, Kind, Loving David Hume
 “The things that we love tell us what we are.”  There is no self!
Empiricism (Locke and Hume)  The self is a pattern of behavior, the tendency
 Impressions – basic sensations of experiences or disposition for a person to behave in a
 Ideas – copies of our impressions certain way in certain circumstances.
 Impressions form a fleeting stream of
Paul Chruchland
that exists as a unified identity over the Physicalist
course of life.  Eliminative Materialism: grounded in
 The self is a “bundle or collection of different neuroscience
perceptions, which succeed each other in an o The mind/self is the brain
inconceivable rapidity, and are in perpetual flux
and movement.” Contemporary Philosophy
 Political Revolution
Immanuel Kant  Industrial Revolution
Philosopher  Scientific advancements and growth of
 Contests Hume’s idea by alluding to the primary materialism
experience of the world that is not a  Theory of Evolution
disconnected stream of sensations.  More humanist as a response to the so called
 A priori concepts: fundamental organizing rules alienation of the human person.
or principles built into the architecture of the
mind, which categorize, organize and synthesize Edmund Husserl
sense data into the familiar fabric of our lives, Father of Phenomenology
bounded by space and time.  We experience our self as a unity which the in
mental and physical are seamlessly woven
together
world intelligible
 The self actively organizes all the sensations and Maurice Merleau-Ponty
thoughts into a picture that makes sense to French Philosopher
each one of us. WE CONSTRUCT THE SELF! “lived body”
 The self is not an object located in the  or
consciousness, but rather, it is a subject, an known in a completely objective sort of way, as
organizing principle that makes a unified and opposed to the “body as object” of the dualists.
intelligible experience possible. 
 The self exists independently o fand transcends dialectic of living being in its biological milieu.”
experiences.
 The self is a transcendental unifying principle of Sociology
consciousness. The Self in the Sociological Perspective
 Classical sociological perspective: the self is a
Sigmund Freud relatively stable set of perceptions of who we are
Father of Psychoanalysis in relation to ourselves, others, and to social
 The self is multi-tiered/ multi-layered: systems.
o Conscious  The self is socially constructed in the sense that
o Preconscious it is shaped through interaction with other
o Unconscious people.
 As with socialization in general, the individual is
Gilbert Ryle not a passive participant in this process and have
Physicalist a powerful influence over how this process and
 Behaviorism its consequences develop.
o No more dichotomy by denying the
inner selves, immortal souls, states of
consciousness, or unconscious entities
 The self is defined in terms of behavior that is
presented to the world.]
The Looking Glass Self by Charles Horton Cooley: The Self based on Psycho-Analytic Approach
 A person’s self grows out of a person´s social  Unconscious Forces
interactions with others.  Libido
 The view of ourselves comes from the  ID
contemplation of personal qualities and  EGO
impressions of how others perceive us.  SUPEREGO
 Actually, how we see ourselves does not come
from who we really are, but rather from how Libido
we believe others see us.  the energy of the sexual drive as a component
o How you see yourself of the life instinct.
o How your parents see you  Sex is influenced by biological, psychological
o How your friends see you and social factors.
o How your teachers & classmates see
you Biological self – represents the ID
o How strangers see you (Natural part of the self)
o How you wish others to see and  Animalistic nature of man
remember you  Pleasure seeking part of the personality
 Determined by the genetic code
Johari Window  Providing the raw materials
Known to the Not known to the  Setting the boundary conditions for
Self self development
Known to Open/Area Blindspot
others  The Id represents the basic need of man. If it is
Not known Hidden/Façade Unknown not satisfied it could result to stress and tension
to others but if satisfied it could give you comfort and joy.
 If the id is angered or provoked it could
Anthropology destroy not only himself but also his
The Self in the Anthropological Perspective surrounding
 The Self embedded in the culture  If the id is properly controlled it could bring
 The significance of the self is greatly warmth and comfort
underestimated in anthropology.
 Identity (shared with others) vs. Self  How could the ID be controlled?
 Western Self vs. non-western Self:  What do you want to be?
Individualistic vs. Collectivistic  Do I have a choice?
 What can I do?
Psychology
Content Outline
Psychological Output Consequence
 The self as a Cognitive Construction Self - represents or Outcome
 William James and the Me-Self; I-Self the Ego Consists of
 Global vs differentiated model ways of
Reality Principle behaving and
 Real and Ideal self concepts Power of Choice thinking that
 Multiple vs Unified selves Thinking are socially
Reasoning acceptable
 True vs. False selves

Start of Self
 The origin of one’s self start when a man and a The Ego
woman become attracted to one another and  Product of your choice made possible by your
have sexual relationship and later on the ego
woman got pregnant  Whatever you have done or product you
 When she gives birth to a child that is the start produce it is always subject for evaluation
of the development of the self of the newly  Product of your choice made possible by your
born person. ego
Social Self  Carl Rogers believed that for a person to
 Pride and guilt= conscience achieve self-actualization they must be in a
state of congruence.
Functionalism – William James  What is commonly referred to as self is not just
 Functionalism is a theory about the nature of a consequence of inherited disposition but is
mental states. substantially created and modified by our
 According to functionalists, mental states are interactions with those around us.
identified by what they do rather than by what
they are made of. Self-defined by social comparison (Festinger, 1954)
 Depending on the level of someone’s
Wiliam James Theory motivation, he may have the tendency to
 According to James's pragmatism, the value of compare himself with others either in an
an idea is dependent upon its usefulness in the upward or downward kind of comparison.
practical world rather than its absolute truth. Festinger’s theory states that an upward
comparison happens when the person
Functionalism compares himself with others who are better
 Focused on the operation of conscious activity than him while downward comparison happens
o Example: thinking and learning when he compares himself with others who are
 Study of man’s adjustment to his environment worse than him.
o Materials
o Capacities  Social Comparison
o Skills People make 2 types of comparison -Festinger
o Temporal Comparison
THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE CONSTRUCTION
Self - concept
 Mental representation
o what we look like
o How we feel in different types of
situation
o How we behave towards others
o What do we do at work
o What are the roles we have in the family
or society o Social Comparison

Imaginary Audience
 Adolescents are thought to believe that others
are always watching and evaluating them, and
that they are special and unique

“I and the Me” self (social philosophy of George

Herbert Mead)
 symbolic interactionism
o the "me" is the socialized aspect of the
person  A highly motivated person tends to engage in
o the "I" is the active aspect of the person upward comparisons, and usually assume
himself as better or equal to the “best person”.
Real and Ideal Self Studies have shown that if given a chance,
 A person's ideal self may not be consistent with people choose to make upward comparisons
what actually happens in life and experiences of instead of downward ones.
the person. Hence, a difference may exist  On the other hand, when someone is unhappy
between a person's ideal self and actual or is unmotivated, he usually engages in
experience. ... downward comparisons in order to feel better
about himself.
There are two kinds of downward comparisons:  Teens often seem torn between the need to
PASSIVE DOWNWARD COMPARISON assert their own individual identity and the need
 Passive downward comparison happens when a to conform to their reference group
person takes into consideration the previous  New identities are forged in relation to work,
condition in making comparison. For example, a parenthood, economic status and ageing
low performing student comparing himself with
a worse off student.  Self esteem
 Body image
ACTIVE DOWNWARD COMPARISON  Body reality
 Active downward comparison happens when a  Body ideal
person compares himself with others by  Body presentation
demeaning or causing harm to them. By  Stigma
derogating the target or causing harm to him,  Social roles
this person generates a situation in which the  Social rules
target is worse off than him, therefore giving
him the chance to make a downward THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHT
comparison. Individualistic and Collective self

Self-evaluation and self-enhancement Individualism

 Motivation plays a role in this model and is  A human being has an individualistic nature and
manifested by self-evaluation and self- is an independent part of the universe and the
enhancement. Self-evaluation occurs when society.
someone looks for positive traits in himself
based on the best person he compares himself Collectivism
with. Self-enhancement, on the other hand,  A human being is an integral part of the
occurs when the person questions which universe and the society.
aspects of himself need to be improved to reach  People are fundamentally connected.
the level of goodness of the person he is  Duty towards all others is a very important
comparing himself with. matter.

Self esteem WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS/BELIEFS OF

 Used to describe a person's overall sense of INDIVIDUALISTIC CULTURE?
self-worth or personal value. In other words,  Individual rights take center stage
how much you appreciate and like yourself.  Independence is highly valued
Self-esteem is often seen as a personality trait,  Being dependent upon others is often
which means that it tends to be stable and considered shameful or embarrassing
enduring.  People tend to be self-reliant
 The rights of individuals tend to take a higher
Reference Group precedence
 a group to which an individual or another group  People often place a greater emphasis on
is compared. Sociologists call any group that standing out and being unique
individuals use as a standard for evaluating
themselves and their own behavior a reference WHAT ARE CHARACTERISTICS/BELIEFS OF
group. COLLECTIVISTIC CULTURE?
 Social rules focus on promoting selflessness and
The Creation of Identities putting the community needs ahead of
 One’s identity must balance the need to be individual needs
similar to one’s reference group with the need to  Working as a group and supporting others is
be a unique individual essential
 Children become aware of the need for a group  People are encouraged to do what's best for
identity and are often afraid or acting differently. society
 Families and communities have a central role
THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHT Taoism
The social construction of the Self in Western thought  Relativity of opposites i.e. yin and yang
Some qualities imparted to the Western subjective self Self does not exist without the existence of the other
 Analytic and deductive Self as a separate identity is supported by the equal and
 Monotheistic opposite sensation of otherness
 Individualistic
 Materialistic and realistic Confucianism
The self in Confucianism is the starting point of a
The Self as embedded in relationships and through constructive process
spiritual development in Confucian thought  For western philosophers, the concept of the self is
Asian schools of thought the end of their searches.
 Buddhism
 Hinduism  First, there is the mere love of morality: that alone,
 Taoism without culture, degenerates into fatuity. Secondly,
 Confucianism there is the mere love of knowledge: that alone
without culture, tends to dilettantism. Thirdly, there
Buddhism is the mere love of honesty: that alone without
 Buddha discovered why life is filled with culture, produces heartlessness. Fourthly, there is
suffering and how humanity can escape from the mere love of uprightness: that alone, without
this unhappy existence culture, produces recklessness. Sixthly, there is the
Experience in the transformations of consciousness and mere love of strength of character, that alone
stages of meditation without culture, produces eccentricity.
 Buddha denies the self: no self, no individual
 No-self is the nature of an intuitive and It is only through the continuous opening up of the self
subjective perception toward oneself beyond to others that the self can maintain its wholesome
the ordinary range of human experience that is personal identity.
full of the anxieties and defensiveness  A person who is not responsive to others is self-
centred.
To study the self is to deny the self
When self becomes anxiety-free, one can act Confucian self is relational and interdependent
spontaneously  Belief that certain sets of human relationships
are basis for moral community Confucianism
Everything is impermanent in the continuous becoming  Ruler and minister
of lived experience  Friend and friend
Implies emphasis on compassion for others and conduct  Elder and younger brother
ourselves with restraint out of a sense of responsibility  Husband and wife
 Father and son
Hinduism
 Hindus believe that an individual’s action Filial Piety
(Karma) – the bad or good actions that the  unquestioned obedience of the son to the
individual performed in a previous life authority of the father
determine s his or her caste o Son must learn to suppress his own desires
o Recognize presence of parents in every
dimension of lived reality
o Father should act fatherly
o Filiality and brotherliness are bases of humanity

Selfhood is endowed by heaven

 How can I realize my selfhood as the heaven
endowed humanity?
 My relationships are vitally important, if
ignored, I can longer face up to the reality of
who I am in a holistic sense.
 PART 1: THE PHYSICAL SELF

“Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” – Leonardo da Vinci  Physical Self/Body is an initial
"I am not who I think I am. I am not who you think I am. I am who I think you think I am." William James source of sensation and
necessary for the origin and
 Physical Self ‐ is the concrete dimension, the tangible aspect of the person that can be directly maintenance of personality.
observed and examined.
 In Psychoanalytical school,
o How they view themselves Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud's construction
o How they view others of self and personality makes
o How they think others view them the physical body the core of
human experience.
 The sociology of the body become an established discipline in the 1990’s. (Every body has something to say)
 The obsession to have a beautiful face & body:
 The role of bodily organs is
 Eating disorder such as:
especially important in early
o Anorexia Nervosa - an eating disorder characterized by low weight, fear of gaining weight,
developmental stages of a
and a strong desire to be thin, resulting in food restriction.
person’s life.
o Bulimia - An eating disorder characterized by episodes of secretive excessive eating
Later in life, the development of
(binge-eating) followed by inappropriate methods of weight control, such as self-induced Erik Erikson physical as well as intellectual
vomiting (purging), abuse of laxatives and diuretics, or excessive exercise.
skills help determine whether the
 The demand for cosmetic surgery and skin whiteners individual will achieve a sense of
competence and ability to choose
 Body Dysmorphic Disorder demanding roles in a complex
 a psychological disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with imaginary defects in their society. (As the body develops it
appearance. helps us accomplish certain tasks)

 Body Shamming
 Many people especially women spend tremendous expenditure of time, effort and money to alter  Coined the term “somatic
their appearances to resemble an ideal image. Bryan Turner society” (1980s) which means
 In the past, Barbie was the ideal girl of women. the new found importance of
the body in contemporary
 We are NOT our bodies. We live in our bodies, but our bodies do not make up WHO we are. society.
 PART 2: MY SEXUAL SELF

5 main stages to the sexual response cycle:

 Sex is biological – male, female, also intersex (reproductive differences based
on genitalia, chromosomes, hormones)
 Also refers to sexual acts, as in ‘having sex’ 1) Desire (also called libido) - This stage, in which a man or woman begins to
want or "desire" sexual intimacy or gratification, may last anywhere
 Gender is ‘the structure of social relations that centres on the reproductive from a moment to many years.
arena, and the set of practices that bring reproductive distinctions into social
2) Excitement (also called arousal) - This stage, which is characterized by the
processes’ (Connell 2002: 10)
body’s initial response to feelings of sexual desire, may last from
 Gender underlies assumptions regarding ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine’ behaviour
minutes to several hours.
 Biological Perspective
 Human reproductive system 3) Plateau - This stage, the highest point of sexual excitement, generally
 Genetic basis for sex determination lasts between 30 seconds and three minutes.
 Asexual reproductive organs 4) Orgasm - This stage, the peak of the plateau stage and the point at which
 Male reproductive organs – gonads/genitalia sexual tension is released, generally lasts for less than a minute.
 Female reproductive organs – gonads/genitalia 5) Resolution - The duration of this stage—the period during which the
body returns to its pre-excitement state—varies greatly and generally
 Secondary sexual characteristics increases with age.
 Genetic basis for sex determination: xx - female ; xy - male
Dopamine
 X chromosome Testosterone ATTRACTION Oxytocin
LUST Norepinephrine ATTACHMENT
Estrogen Vasopressin
 Y chromosome Serotonin

Sexual Diversity:  Gender refers to the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture
 Heterosexuality – opposite sex associates with a person’s biological sex.
 Homosexuality – same sex
 Behavior that is compatible with cultural expectations is referred to as
 Bisexuality – both sexes gender - normative; behaviors that are viewed as incompatible with these
 Transgender expectations constitute gender non-conformity.
Cisgender Transgender
 An adjective used to describe a person whose gender identity and gender  An adjective that is an umbrella term used to describe the full range of people
expression align with sex assigned at birth; a person who is not TGNC. whose gender identity and/or gender role do not conform to what is
(Transgender/Gender Non-Conforming) typically associated with their sex assigned at birth. While the term
“transgender” is commonly accepted, not all TGNC people self - identify as
Cisgender replaces the terms "nontransgender" or "bio man/bio woman" to
transgender.
refer to individuals who have a match between the gender they were assigned  Incorporates differences in gender identity wherein one's assigned biological
at birth, their bodies and their gender identity. sex doesn't match their felt identity.
 Includes persons who do not feel they fit into a dichotomous sex structure
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: through which they are identified as male or female. Individuals in this
 Most common STD in the Philippines category may feel as if they are in the wrong gender, but this perception may
 Health Education on STD or may not correlate with a desire for surgical or hormonal reassignment.
PART 3: THE MATERIAL SELF
“A man’s self is the sum total of all that he can call his, not only his
Shaping the way we see ourselves: The role of consumer culture on our sense of body and his psychic powers, but his clothes and his house, his wife
self and identity and children, his ancestors and friends, his reputation and works,
William his lands and horses, and yacht and bank-account. All these things
 MATERIAL SELF - refers to tangible objects, people, or places that carry
James give him the same emotions. If they wax and prosper, he feels
the designation my or mine.
o Bodily and Extended Self/Possessions triumphant; if they dwindle and die away, he feels cast down,—not
necessarily in the same degree for each thing, but in much the same
 Materialism - The importance a consumer attaches to worldly possession way for all.”

FUNCTIONS OF POSSESSIONS Possessions as Symbolic Expressions of Identity (Symbolic Communication Model)

Possessions can go beyond their functional value.  There’s an observation that one’s possessions are considered a part of oneself.
• Influence They are symbols and extensions of the personal and social aspects of her
• Power identity/personhood.
• Sympathy  Possession help people define themselves.
• Social status  Possessions can enhance one’s image and develop a positive sense of self.
• Emotions  It can be a reassurance that one is the person one’s wishes to be.
 Goods and possessions are used to fill in or to compensate for the person lacks.
Possessions and Self‐Identity Example: CONSPICIOUS CONSUMPTION CONSPICIOUS CONSUMPTION
A recent Ph.D., for example, may prominently display his diploma in an 1) Acquisition of material possessions
- Consumers own high-priced,
attempt to convince himself (and others) that he is the erudite scholar he aspires to 2) Possessions become symbolic
status-oriented goods to
be. expression of self‐identity
impress others and to
Even though you are not too smart or not qualified, so long as you wear an 3) Loss of possessions
convince them of their high
expensive watch, an high-class pair of shoes and you have the latest model of 4) Loss of important aspect of self
social status.
cellphone. 5) Negative reactions

Possessions and Self‐Identity

- For some, possessions become the symbolic components of self-identity (e.g. success, important relationships, etc.) and consider possessions as their meaning
in life. When these symbolic components are destroyed or loss, an aspect of self is also destroyed which can result to negative reactions.
- According to Burris & Rempel (2004), the more a possession symbolically represents the self, the greater the negative reactions experienced if it is lost.

- Meaning is in a constant state of flux.

- Cultural categories of person that help shape identity are subject to constant manipulation by individuals, social
groups, and marketing agents.
Possessions as Unstable Meanings
- Meanings of objects that are used to make visible and stabilize the categories of culture are also subject to
frequent change through their appropriation in advertising, in television programming, and among social subgroups.

For example: A teenager who has just purchased his snowboard, the youthful, extreme sports image of snowboarding may
soon fade as more people over 40 take up the sport.

- Pets have become parts of the extended self. Pets belong to the top 5 possessions.
Pets as Extensions/Symbols of the Self
- Positive relationship between self-esteem and owning pets
- The dog as “co-therapist”

PART 4: SELF, SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGION

 Religion–an organized system of ideas about the spiritual or supernatural realm,that is accompanied by rituals. Through rituals, people attempt to influence
things that they think are beyond their control.
 Spirituality–also concerns an aspect of the divine and supernatural but is often times limited to the individual, with no need for any formal organization.
This is the search for meaning and direction in life and the ways
 The two are related –Although not separate from one another, spirituality is much more profound than religion.
Religion –Myths Religion ‐Rituals
2 types of ritual
 These are stories that have explanations about the divine and the  Religions have rituals/ritu.
o According to the Calendar (Calendric)
supernatural.  What ever is done repeatedly.
o Based on crisis
 Within a culturally, myths are considered real.
 This is accompanied by ideology and a worldview

Types of Prayers (Dasal o Panalangin) Spanish Encounters with the Beliefs and Rituals of our Ancestors
o Fasting (Pag‐aayuno)  ANITISM
o Healing (Panggagamot) - Belief that nature derives energy from spirits that are separate and distinct from human beings/bodies.
o Offering (Pag‐aalay) These spirits dwell in people, animals, stones, rivers, tree and others.
o “Panalanging walang patid” - Prevail over people who do not regard themselves as superior over nature.
o Meditation
 ANIMATISM
o Attending mass (Pagmimisa)
- impersonal power on earth, which has no concerns about what happens to people
o Praying a novena (Pagnonobena)
o Praying the rosary (Pagrorosaryo)  DEITISM
o Carrying the Cross (Pagpasan ng krus) - has concern and compassionate care for people
o Curifixion(Pagpapako sa krus)
3 types
Anthropomorphic (shape that appears humanlike)
Zoomorphic (shape that appears animallike)
Biomorphic (shape that is similar to plants and others)

PINOY ETHNIC RELIGIOUS LEADERS The Meaning of Spirituality (Yabut, 2013)

- Those who lead in rituals (“shaman”)
- “Babaylan,” “balian,” “katalonan,” “mag‐aanito” atbp 2 Themes:
- Has the capacity to heal or cure the sick and injured; to predict one’s fortune; 1. It is phenomenological (personal) experience
discern human intentions and read the forces of nature and the weather - Sa ating pagpapakatao, nasasalamin ang ating pakikipag‐
ugnayan sa Diyos (De Mesa, 2010)
 Sa pagpapakataong Pilipino ay naroon ang pakikipagkapwa‐tao
 Apung Benita of the Ayta (Covar, 1998)
 She is called Apung Benita. She is one of the respected “mag‐aanito.”
During ordinary days, she is a farmer, but is at the same time a good healer. 2. This has to do with the human being (“tao”) and not merely the self
(“sarili”).
  Receives her visions through dreams or during trance. Mag‐aanitos like - Through “loob,” the relationship between two human beings is
her generally accepted when they are already old. deepened. Filipinos are known to be religious, however religiosity is
 During Holy Week, Apung Benita renews her strength and “biyaya” meaningless if we do not know how to relate with our “kapwa”
(gift). She goes up to the mountain to commune with Apung Namalyari. (pakikipagkapwa). In the process a bond takes place.

 The Male Babaylan (Asog)

 Spirituality of the Adolescents/Young Adults (Aged 18‐25)
 In the olden times, “babaylan” were women. Eventually men also became
“babaylan” but they would dress up and perform rituals like their
women counterpart.
How is old religion preserved and continued?
 While leaders remain in power
 In present times, “babaylans” are now healers or herbalists, whose
 While the spiritual leader remains the intercessor between the
skills are also considered “biyaya” or gifts.
people and the divine
 While there are living experiences of the divine who is believed to
be invisible but could
HOLY PLACES: Pilgrimage to Mt. Banahaw (Pamumuesto sa Bundok Banahaw)

Renewal of Faith as one Ages: Life Span (Fowler, 1981) The Importance of Transition Stage

A. SYNTHETIC CONVENTIONAL STAGE 3 STAGES OF TRANSITION & TRANSFORMATION:

 The individual has the capacity for “operational thinking”
 Faith may now synthesize different beliefs, information, and values to have a stable 1. ENDING – Saying goodbye to beliefs held from childhood.
identity.
 However, there is really no critical analysis of the information and values, and there 2. NEUTRAL ZONE – conflicted internally from the abandonment of
is heavy reliance on authority one’s self to embracing a new one.
- One reason why a teenager undergoes crisis is that sometimes
B. INDIVIDUATIVE‐REFLECTIVE STAGE he/she is not aware that he/she is undergoing a kind of spiritual
 The beginnings of questioning/challenging previously held beliefs. awakening.
(Ex: “If God is kind, why is there suffering in the world?”) - There is sometimes full of hate, boredom, rebellion, sadness, and
 Developed regard for God as friend and ally. even depression
 Belief that God accepts him/her as himself/herself
 Belief that God that brings light to one’s sense of purpose in life. 3. NEW BEGINNING - Through trustworthy friends, an individual
 They themselves and no longer authority chooses their world view discovers not only himself/herself but also God who may be trusted and
may serve as companion throughout life.
 Three Ways of Finding Meaning (Viktor Frank, Logotherapy)

1. Someone – special someone, friend, children, and family

2. Deed, Act or Work – finding fulfilment and/or being passionate about one’s work/deed

3. Suffering – through rumination/contemplation, we get to have a deeper sense of our self and experiences.

PART 5: THE POLITICAL SELF

 Political Self – an increasing awareness of the deeply dysfunctional and divisive nature of many of our traditional political and economic institutions

Example: What is the effect of tokhang, poverty and killing to you?

PART 6: THE DIGITAL SELF

CYBERPSYCHOLOGY CYBERPSYCHOLOGY
 New field within applied psychology  Mainly focused in the world wide web specifically Social Media
 Branch of psychology that examines:  Other technologies involved:
- how we interact with others using technology - Online and offline gaming such as video games
- how our behaviour is influenced by technology - Mobile computing
- how technology can be developed to best suit our needs - Artificial intelligence
- how our psychological states can be affected by technologies - Virtual reality
- Augmented reality

SELF AND IDENTITY IN THE CYBERSPACE ONLINE BEHAVIOR THEORIES

 Identity – development of one’s self‐concept, including one’s thought
 EQUALISATION HYPOTHESIS (Kiesler et al., 1984)
and feelings about oneself
- With the removal of the social cues, a reduction of associated
stereotypes may occur, and therefore may lead to increased social
power in the online world
  SOCIAL IDENTITY MODEL OF DEINDIVIDUATION EFFECTS (SIDE)
THEORY (Zimbardo, 1979)
- Importance of the situational explicit variables in a social situation
- Strengthens the influence of social norms and their effect when social
identity is strong

- Identifiable Offline world

- Anonymous Online World
- Identifiable Online world

IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBLE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

 Selectively ‐ self presenting or editing messages to reveal socially - Setting Boundaries to your online self: Smart Sharing
desirable attitudes and dimensions of the self
Guide Questions to consider before posting:
o Is this post/story necessary?
The role of anonymity in impression management o Is there a real benefit to this post – is it funny, warm‐hearted, teachable – or
6 different types of Privacy (Pederson, 1979): am I just making noise online without purpose?
Reserve o Have we (as a family or parent/child) resolved this issue?
Isolation o An issue still being worked out in the home, or one that is either vulnerable
Intimacy with family or highly emotional, should not be made public.
Intimacy with friends o Is it appropriate? Does it stay within the boundaries of our family values?
Solitude Will this seem as funny in 5, 10, or 15 years? Or is this post better suited for sharing
with a small group of family members? Or maybe not at all?
Anonymity

Are you a Good Web Citizen?

ANONYMITY Guidelines for proper sharing of information and using the internet:
 Stick to safer sites
 Positive effect in the role of privacy or the amount of contact that
someone has with others  Guard your passwords
 Limit what you share
 Negative effect – increased aggression and anti‐social behaviour
 Remember that anything you put online or post on a site remains forever,
 Autonomy ‐ where people can try out new behaviors without fear of even if you try to delete it.
social consequences  Do not mean or embarrass other people online
 Be choosy about your online friends
  Be patient

SCREEN DEPENDENCY DISORDER

 Emerging problem (not yet included in DSM‐5 and/or ICD‐10)

 dependent, problematic behavior, including withdrawal symptoms,
increasing tolerance (for screen use),
 failure to reduce or stop screen activities, lying about the extent of use, loss
of outside interests, and continuation of screen use despite adverse
consequences.

Prepared by:

Melanie Joy Ecleo

Ralph Christian Buenavista
Macrin Nantes Recinto
Dale Andrew Aquino